


Forced Confessions & Hospital Rooms

by ActuallyRandomPerson



Series: things that spawn from the drabbles [4]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Castiel and Dean Winchester Need to Use Their Words, First Kiss, Fluff, Get Together, Hospitals, Idiots, M/M, RIP me, but we been knew abt that lol, castiel and dean actually communicate, even if only under the threat of death lol, i h a t e this one but my usual tactic of pulling a random song title failed me, i suck at writing kisses, no beta we die and go to super mega gay hell, so sam forces them to, taking literally any and all title suggestions, the kiss is technically just implied lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-14 23:53:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29675196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ActuallyRandomPerson/pseuds/ActuallyRandomPerson
Summary: "When Sam stalked out of Dean’s room, furiously praying to the wayward angel in the irreverent way that Dean always favoured, only to run smack-bang into him in the middle of the waiting room, he could be forgiven for his shock. And when he glared at Cas and declared that Dean now knewverywell who had been sitting at his bedside earlier and was waiting for Cas to come in in preparation for them toactually communicate for once in their god-damned lives,and that if hedidn’tget his feathery ass into that hospital room, Sam would find an angel blade for the sole purpose of brutally murdering Cas with it, he knew he wasn’t imagining the slight tinge of fear that entered Cas’ gaze.Whether that was due to the prospect of having to have an actual conversation with Dean about the unspoken thing between them or due to him not doubting Sam’s determination to follow through with the threat, Sam wasn’t sure. So long as it got Cas and Dean in the same room and in a situation where theycouldn’tavoid the elephant in the room, he didn’t particularly care."aka Sam Winchester isdonewith Dean & Cas' shit
Relationships: Castiel & Sam Winchester, Castiel/Dean Winchester, Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester
Series: things that spawn from the drabbles [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2117403
Comments: 8
Kudos: 94





	Forced Confessions & Hospital Rooms

**Author's Note:**

> i was so excited abt this as it kinda just flowed through me then i remembered i'd have to name it and just. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh  
> sorry the names literal trash lol I'm welcoming suggestions in the comments!!  
> anyway have these two idiots getting their shit together

Dean’s not quite sure how they got here.

The day had started off fairly normally, for them at least. It had been a fairly routine hunt, just a vamps nest, them getting their footing back after the slew of apocalyptic events they’d had to combat in recent times. But something had happened, something had gone _wrong,_ and as he stared up at the ceiling of the dilapidated barn, he found a part of himself wondering if this was where it ended, for him. _Seems fitting, given the most important part of my life began in a barn just like this,_ he thought dazedly, before blackness overcame him and he wasn’t able to think anything more.

***

He was probably more surprised than he should’ve been when his next conscious moment revealed that he was in a hospital. Or as far as he could tell, anyway, given he was yet to open his eyes. The beeping seemed like a good indication that this was _not_ Heaven, at least, as it was _far_ too annoying.

He kept his eyes closed for a few moments more, not yet willing to open them up to the stark white fluorescent that he was sure would greet him, and became vaguely aware of a hand clasped tightly around his own. That was odd, as Sammy wasn’t prone to _that_ sort of bedside vigil. Sitting in silence for hours, yeah, but not the physical affection. That was more a spouse or girlfriend's domain, and he wasn’t exactly in fast supply of either of those. But still, it had to be Sam.

Unless— _no_. Cas was off doing god-knows-what (possibly quite literally) halfway across the country. And even if he _had_ come back, just because he was in the hospital, to sit at his bedside, he wouldn’t be clasping Dean’s hand like this. That stepped across the invisible barrier they’d set up for themselves, the line they’d drawn in the sand years ago now. It was just Sammy being overly dramatic over him being unconscious for whatever reason.

He must have stirred, or made _some_ sort of movement to indicate he was more awake than his close eyes would suggest, because his hand was released and he heard footsteps as a nurse bustled in. Dean opened his eyes when he was prompted, and was only slightly disappointed to see the chair beside his bed was vacant. Sam would be back later, he was sure.

***  
  


Sam _was,_ in fact, back later, although he seemed slightly confused when Dean asked him where he’d been.

“I was in the cafeteria, I thought that you’d know?”

“Well, it’s not exactly like you _told me_ before you left earlier, is it?” Dean retorted, rolling his eyes as Sam pulled a bitchface at him.

“You were _unconscious_ , Dean, I don’t think me telling you would’ve changed anything.”

“No, I mean— earlier. When I was waking up, and you were doing a dramatic grieving widow thing and clutching my hand desperately. You left before I could open my eyes.”

Now Sam just looked confused.

“Dean, I wasn’t in here when you started to stir. They were only letting in one visitor at a time, it’s hospital policy over lunchtime for some reason.”

“Well, _someone_ was, and as far as I know you’re the only person around to be sitting vigil at my bedside. Are you telling me a ghost up and decided to hold my hand as I rested before running off to murder some folks? Because that’s the only other feasible option right now, buddy.”

“Are you telling me— He _seriously_ didn’t tell you he was here? He just left before you were conscious enough to think about checking who was at your bedside?”

Dean blinked at Sam silently, a small part of his brain rising in hope before the more rational sides tried valiantly to quash it down again.

“Uh. Who?” He asked, semi-awkwardly, and Sam groaned before burying his face in his hands.

“Who do you _think_ , Dean? Who do we know that could and _would_ get here fast enough to sit vigil at your bedside with barely a moment’s notice, only to flutter away when the possibility of actual communication between the two of you would occur?”

_Cas was here._

***

To the surprise of _both_ Winchester brothers, Cas hadn’t gone far. Dean hadn’t expected him to stick around beyond what it took to confirm Dean would wake up and recover okay, and Sam didn’t doubt that he was emotionally stunted enough to leave rather than admit he’d been holding Dean’s hand from the moment he’d arrived in the hospital.

The nurse who had been providing them with updates about Dean’s condition had privately admitted to him she found it adorable, then was very surprised when her question of how long they’d been together had turned Sam’s expression haunted as he desperately whispered, _‘They aren’t even together yet’_. (Her follow up move of reassuring him that surely it would happen soon enough had just led to him rubbing his temples as he explained that they were coming up on a _decade_ of knowing each other and behaving exactly like this and _still_ hadn’t got their shit together. She seemed concerned for his wellbeing now.)

So when Sam stalked out of Dean’s room, furiously praying to the wayward angel in the irreverent way that Dean always favoured, only to run smack-bang into him in the middle of the waiting room, he could be forgiven for his shock. And when he glared at Cas and declared that Dean now knew _very_ well who had been sitting at his bedside earlier and was waiting for Cas to come in in preparation for them to _actually communicate for once in their god-damned lives,_ and that if he _didn’t_ get his feathery ass into that hospital room, Sam would find an angel blade for the sole purpose of brutally murdering Cas with it, he knew he wasn’t imagining the slight tinge of fear that entered Cas’ gaze.

Whether that was due to the prospect of having to have an actual conversation with Dean about the unspoken thing between them or due to him not doubting Sam’s determination to follow through with the threat, Sam wasn’t sure. So long as it got Cas and Dean in the same room and in a situation where they _couldn’t_ avoid the elephant in the room, he didn’t particularly care.

***

“ _So.”_

“So.”

Dean and Cas met eyes awkwardly before looking away a second later. A beat of silence passed.

“You— You came back.” Dean started, leaving the _for me_ unspoken.

“I— Yes. I did.” _Of course I did._

“And you—”

“Sat at your bedside for hours, yes.”

“Holding my hand.”

“Yes.”

Dean glanced down, fiddling thoughtfully, before looking up to meet Cas’ eyes again.

“Why?”

Cas froze at the weight of Dean’s gaze before sighing.

“Surely you know, by know.” _It has been almost a decade, after all._

“I— I have my suspicions. I’d rather hear it from you.” _So that I know I’m not crazy, that I’m not reading things wrong._

“Dean, I… care for you greatly. I have for many years now.”

“Care for me in what sense? Because, well, I care for Sam greatly, but I wouldn’t sit holding his hand while he was unconscious.”

“In— I— We share… a profound bond.”

“I already know that, Cas, you’re not exactly breaking new ground there.”

“I’m sorry, Dean. This is… a surprisingly difficult topic to talk about.”

Dean gave Cas a wry grin.

“I guess that’s why we’ve been avoiding it for so long, huh?”

Cas sent a small smile back.

“You should be glad I’m not asking _you_ to go first. You _are_ the human, after all, it stands to reason that you would be more proficient in these matters than I.”

Dean flapped a hand vaguely.

“Ah, you know me, Cas. I’m not good with words and shit, not like you and Sammy.”

“I don’t feel like I’m giving you a great example of being ‘good with words’, here, but I’ll thank you for your glowing review.”

Dean snorted.

“Well, you’ve gotten further than _I_ have, Mr. ‘profound bond’ and ‘I care for you greatly’.”

Cas’ smile widened.

“I’d say we can leave it here, given we’ve made it clear we have a… mutual understanding, but I fear for my life if I leave this room without us coming to some sort of proper resolution. Sam seemed very determined.”

Dean softened and grinned properly.

“That’s Sammy for ya.”

“It really is.”

A moment of silence passed, slightly less awkward than the one from when Cas first entered the room, and Dean found himself reaching out to clasp Cas’ hand in his own. If Cas had made baby steps towards naming this thing between them, he could make baby steps in his own way. The bright grin Cas sent his way as their fingers interlaced was _so very worth it_ , and for another minute they were just grinning stupidly at each other.

“We’re both idiots, you know?” Cas said suddenly, and Dean snorted in response.

“I can’t say I disagree, but what specifically reminded you of it this time?”

“I mean, it’s clear we both feel things for each other. This… _tiptoeing_ around the subject hasn’t achieved anything but stress on both of our parts. It’s been years, I highly doubt things are going to change for us, emotionally at least.”

Dean nodded, voice caught in his throat, but it didn’t exactly matter that he didn’t respond verbally. Cas seemed to be on a roll.

“Dean, I love you. Deeply and eternally. I betrayed Heaven’s mission for you, gave up and regained my grace because of you, then learned the wonders of humanity beyond the little I had already been afforded by watching from Heaven through our interactions. You taught me what it _means_ to love, to _desire_ , in ways I never could have imagined. You taught me free-will _,_ helped me fight for it when it was almost taken from me again. You gave me _everything_ , and I’ll give you everything I have in return, if you’ll let me.”

Dean tried to respond, tried to find the words to explain the depth of his feelings, but the words failed him. Cas seemed to sense this, as he squeezed Dean’s hand tightly when Dean opened and closed his mouth a few times.

“It’s okay if you can’t say it back, Dean. Just knowing the sentiment is returned, that’s enough for me. I know this sort of thing is difficult for you.”

“But I _want_ to say it back, Cas! I want, _need_ you to know that I— _fuck.”_ Dean sighed and collected his thoughts for a moment. “You— You’re _it_ for me, Cas. The only person I’ve _ever_ felt this deeply for. I’m tired of pretending that’s not true, that I’m not completely crazy for you. I don’t even know what’s stopping me, at this point, other than the fear of somehow fucking us up. It’s not like it’s exactly a secret these days, despite us both doing our best to pretend it is, and Dad’s not around to disapprove of my sexuality anymore. So… screw it. Screw fear. I— I love you too, Cas.”

They stayed staring at each other for another moment, a sort of giddy relief flooding their systems at _finally_ acknowledging everything that was between them, and Dean felt laughter bubbling up from within him. When it sprung free, bright and joyful in a way that seemed at odds with everything he’d been through in his life, he was slightly surprised, but it didn’t take Cas long to join him. Their laughter filled the hospital room, and Dean found himself grateful that no one came in to check on them. He wanted him and Cas to stay private for a little while longer, without any nosy nurses butting in on their moment.

“I _cannot_ believe it took us almost 10 years to get to this point,” Dean admitted, wiping the evidence of his mirth from the corner of his eyes.

“I can,” Cas responded dryly. “We’re both fairly emotionally compromised even at the best of times.”

Dean grinned, lacing their hands back together.

“So, are we planning on progressing the _rest_ of our relationship in a similarly slow manner, or do you think we’ve done enough waiting around?”

“I’d prefer the latter, if it’s all the same to you.”

Dean’s grin grew.

“Good, because I’d _really_ like to kiss you, now, and I don’t want to have to wait another decade before we reach that point.”

Cas’ eyes snapped to meet Dean’s fully, widened slightly in surprise and interest, and Dean felt his grin turn into a smirk.

“Assuming you’re interested, of course.”

“I— _yes._ ”

“Yes we have to wait ten years or yes you’re interested?” Dean teased, and Cas’ eyes flashed.

“Shut up and kiss me, Dean.”

And, well, what else was Dean supposed to do with an order like that?

***

They hadn’t taken things _too_ far, they were both well aware they were still in a hospital (of course), but that didn’t stop Sam from dramatically shrieking and gagging when he walked into Dean’s hospital room a half-hour later. As far as Dean was concerned, he was the one who’d been so determined he and Cas sort their shit out, so he could put up with them taking advantage of the many, _many_ possibilities available to them now that said shit was sorted.

(If Dean pulled Sam into a hug and thanked him for forcing the two of them to talk when the brothers next got a moment alone, that was between him and Sam, thank-you-very-much. And if a few months later, at a quiet wedding ceremony held with all their friends and family in attendance, a toast was held in Sam’s honour thanking him for ‘getting the pining idjits to pull their heads out of their asses once and for all’, then. Well. No one would try and argue the toast was undeserved.)

**Author's Note:**

> please kudos and comment i will owe you my soul!! (even if ur comment _isn't_ suggesting a better title, lol. u get 2 souls if you suggest a title and don't question how i gained possession of the second soul)


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